VILLA's search for new owners and a new manager has left strikers Milan Baros and Kevin Phillips in limbo.

Doug Ellis is unwilling to sanction moves to Hamburg or Sunderland for the pair while he is searching for a new manager to replace David O'Leary.

The decision of American billionaire Randy Lerner to return home to Cleveland and at best delay his #57.2million move to buy the club, and at worst end it completely, has put Ellis on the back foot.

A sale to Lerner could have ushered in Martin O'Neill within weeks and certainly before the start of the new season.

But with just local businessman Michael Neville's consortium and that of London QC Nicholas Padfield now on the table, Ellis is hamstrung in his quest to make an imminent appointment.

And of that means that Hamburg's pursuit of Baros has been put on the back burner by Ellis.

Hamburg have offered #5.5million but Ellis wants at least #8 million cash for the player.

That is because of a cute piece of business by Villa last summer when they managed to acquire Baros for an initial #6.5million fee, rising to #7 million, they only put down half of the fee up front with the rest to be paid in instalments.

And because Villa still owe Liverpool 50 per cent of that #7million transfer fee, new Premier League rules state that if a player is sold within 12 months funds still outstanding to his former club must be paid up immediately on his sale.

That would mean Liverpool receiving #3.5million, which is why Villa need a big bid to make it worth their while selling in the first place.

Sunderland's new manager Niall Quinn is determined to wrestle Phillips back to the North-East where he remains a cult figure.

Villa would ask for around #750,000 for the player who cost #1million last summer, and Phillips would be keen to go.